What is a Good GRE Score?

Update: We’ve updated the information in this post (and the posts we link to) with all of the new information we have in 2015. Some numbers have changed, and some have not :). We hope you find this helpful, and best of luck with your applications!

Here at Magoosh, our students regularly ask us what a good GRE score is. The short answer is that a “good” score is different for everyone. But in this post I’ll give you a longer, more comprehensive answer.

Determining what a good score is for you will take some time and research. But if you can identify your target score early in your GRE prep, you’ll be more likely to hit that target since you can focus your study plan accordingly. It’s well worth it! Just follow the steps below to determine your target score…

Identify what is a good GRE score for your program

A good score on the Revised GRE varies significantly by program. For instance, applicants admitted to the top 10 Engineering programs last year had an average GRE quant score of 165. That score is the 90th percentile on the revised GRE. However, applicants admitted to the top 10 Education programs had an average GRE quant score of 155.7, about 64th percentile on the new GRE. That’s a quite a difference!

Identify your target school

Are you aiming for a top 10 school or a top 50 school in your program? Do you have a specific dream school? By answering these questions, you can better determine what type of score you’ll need on the new GRE. Let’s build upon the Engineering example above. Applicants admitted to #1 ranked MIT had an average quant score of 780, while those admitted to #22 ranked Maryland had an average quant score of 740. That’s a 5 point difference on the new GRE scoring scale (163 vs. 158). Clearly, what’s a good GRE can vary from school to school.

Use this GRE scores percentiles chart borrowed from ETS to determine how the averages from previous years compare to the new GRE scoring scale.

You can also use this school finder to help you find and request more information from schools for free.

Talk to current students and the admissions committee

Some schools care more about quant and others care more about verbal. Find out which a target program/school is interested in by talking to the admissions committee and current students. Go to their website and find a contact to email. Let them know you are a prospective student and provide some background about yourself. In many cases, schools will try to connect you with a current student who has a similar background to you. Use that opportunity to learn about the admissions process and the program as a whole.

Aim for a better than average GRE score

The admitted students who perform below average on the GRE may have extraordinary stories, great GPA’s, and/or fantastic work experience. To improve your odds of acceptance, do better than average. But there’s no need to overdo it. If you are aiming for a program that has an average quant score of 155, and you score 160, you likely don’t need to take the GRE again, even if you think you could get 165. You have already demonstrated that you have quantitative aptitude and now it’s time to focus on the rest of your application.

Prep for the GRE with your target score in mind

By researching GRE scores ahead of time, you can determine what areas to focus on for your GRE prep. For instance, if your program is more interested in quant, then spend more time working on quant. We have a quite a few GRE study plans to help you with your prep. They provide options for students preparing for 1 week, 6 months, or anything in between. Keith, one of our customers, recently increased his quant score from 152 to 165 using Magoosh. Read about his GRE experience here We also have a score increase guarantee for those re-taking the exam.

But really, what’s a good GRE score?

As I mentioned scores depend on your particular target school and program. But in general scores above the 75th percentile in either section are good – that’s a 157 or higher in math and in verbal. Scores at least one standard deviation from the mean are even better, 160 in math and 159 in verbal. And scores two standard deviations from the mean put you in the top 5%, 166 in math and 165 in verbal, at which point your GRE score will certainly not be an impediment.

PS. Are you also studying for the TOEFL? Find out what a good TOEFL score is here.

Update for 2014
Hi all – We’ve decided to close comments for this blog post so that we can focus our time on providing support and service to the paying customers of our Magoosh GRE product – responding to every comment is very time consuming

Also, between the blog post and the answers to the comments below, we hope that you’ll find an answer to your question, as most questions and answers fall into only a few categories. I promise that in 2013 good GRE scores are the same as last year. Thanks!

More from Magoosh

By the way, students who use Magoosh GRE improve their scores on average by 8 points on the new scale (150 points on the old scale.) Click here to learn more.

About the Author

Bhavin Parikh is CEO and co-founder at Magoosh. He completed his undergraduate degree at Duke University in Economics and Computer Science and received his MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Bhavin likes to play frisbee and eat gelato.
Follow him on Google+!

I recommend looking at US News reports or checking with those schools directly. You want your score to be above average, and if it’s not, I recommend a re-take. Students can definitely see improvements with a re-take. You’ll be more familiar with the test and with test-day conditions. An 8-point increase is definitely doable if you really focus your study efforts!

I got 319(Q170 V149) and AWA 2.5
Is it reccomended to retake the GRE just to improve the AWA score ?
And is it okay to mail the admission centre of various universities and check wether I am eligible for the courses ?

My college GPA is ~3.2 (First two years were deplorable)
I work in two separate research labs, and am assured excellent letters of recommendation by my P.Is.

I was wondering if you had any insight into my chances of landing in a top biological sciences program. My current field of study is Evolution & Ecology.

My problem is that many of the schools in which I am interested do not explicitly state their GRE cutoffs; my scores are above average but not fantastic, so determining whether or not it would be a waste of time and effort to apply somewhere is difficult. Do you have any advice?

Hi Boris, good question! Many schools don’t explicitly state cutoffs, so this is a common problem. If your scores are above average for the schools, then I recommend applying. If you don’t know the average for the schools, reach out to them and ask. Most schools want to help!

i’m interested in research of humanoid robotics and i’m from,background of mechanical.stream so .which stream is suitable for me in masters…???. and i like to apply directly for the ph.d then how much score is requied to get admission in best universities..?
i look forward for your reply

I am wondering how much consideration grad programs give to the AWA score? I received a score of 4.5 the first time I took the GRE exam, which I thought was fairly strong (80 percentile). I felt that my AWA score was stronger than my Verbal and Quantitative scores, but I worry that the AWA section means the least to grad programs….

Great question! From our experience, the AWA section does mean less to most grad programs. That’s because they can evaluate your writing other ways, such as through your essays, personal statement, etc. However, each grad program is different, so I recommend reaching out to the programs you want to apply to and asking them about their average scores for math, verbal, and AWA. And also asking how heavily they weigh AWA.

Hi Mariti. I am not a GRE expert, but I also took the GRE and think an average or slightly below average GRE score does not necessarily mean you cannot get accepted into a graduate program. If you are talking about getting accepted to a “good” or competitive university graduate program, then an average or slightly below average score (298 is just a tad below average) might hurt you a little bit. However, it all depends on what graduate program you are pursuing. I think most graduate programs don’t solely look at GRE scores but place emphasis on he whole package (grades, letters of recommendation, personal essays). Even so, I would encourage you to retake the GRE a second time and try to study/improve your score to get at least a an average or slightly average score of at least 303-310 range would be ideal

I was wondering whether my GRE scores – 162 (verbal) and 166 (Quantitative): a total of 328 – would be good enough if I plan on applying to Physics programs at, say, Stanford or Harvard, or Princeton or Yale?

Oh, and when I say Physics program, I mean a doctoral program, not a Master’s program

Unfortunately, we’re not admissions experts, so it’s hard to know if you can get in with those scores. I recommend contacting those schools directly and asking them what their averages math and verbal scores are. It’s a little more work, but it’s definitely worth it!

Dear Sir,
I am looking for admission to Ph.D. in Chemistry in one of the top-100 Graduate schools in USA. I have done my B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. My profile is as follows:
GRE : 311 (Q: 161 & V: 150) ; TOEFL: yet to be taken: AW: 3.5
Marks: 74.6% for B.Sc. (ranked 6th) and 75.3% in M.Sc. (ranked 4th)
Work experience of 6 years as Senior Research Executive in the R & D lab of an esteemed MNC
Four papers published in reputed peer-reviewed journals; One as a corresponding author, one as first-author and rest as second author
Nine US and European patents
Reviewed as many as 6 journal articles so far
Received numerous awards for Outstanding Contribution to Breakthrough Science, Patent Applications and External Publications
Have JNCASR-University of Cambridge Winter School certification, completed Dupont® Safety Commitment training, have received designation of Sr. First Aider from Indian Red Cross Society.
Please let me know if I have chances (considering TOEFL is OK) in any of these US universities:
1. UMass Amherst
2. Carnegie Melon
3. U Maryland, College Park
4. Duke University
5. USC, LA
6. UT Austin
7. UC, Santa Barbara & Barkeley
8. U Pittsburg
9. ASU
10. U Michigan Ann Arbor
11. U Illinois at Urbana
Otherwise, please inform me about the other options I can explore.
Many Thanks!

Sounds like you have a quite an extensive and diverse background, which is typically helpful when applying to programs. Unfortunately, we’re not admissions experts, and each school will likely have different averages and requirements. I recommend reaching out to the schools directly and trying to talk with current students.

hii sir!! im shashidhar.i got 286 in GRE with Quant 152 and verbal 132.I applied to some universities…MY GRADUATION aggregate is 75 with no backlogs.
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF NEWHAVEN
UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT
MURREY STATE UNIVERSITY…Can u suggest me which university i may get in?

Hi – good question! It often feels like admissions is a “black box”, and it’s hard to know what schools you can get into. I highly recommend reaching out to the schools directly. Each school may have very different admissions criteria. Good luck!

I just took my GRE and got an average score. Verbal 157 and 161 in quantitative. I plan to study Biological sciences for Graduate degree, and worried if I should re-take my GRE, or are my scores satisfactory? Help please!

I got 150 in Quantitative and 153 in Verbal. Do I need to retake it if the rest of the application is flawless? I did not study for the GRE at all because of family issues and I did not want to pay the fees to reschedule it. What do you think if I try to apply for master programs and see what happens?

If you can, I recommend reaching out to your target schools first. They may be able to provide more insight on what scores you need or if your scores are good enough. That being said, I know quite a few people who just apply and see what happens. And if they don’t get in, they give the GRE another try – if you’re flexible with when you start grad school, this could be a good approach!

I have a GPA of 8.82/10 till the sixth semester of my electrical engineering from a decently good college in Karnataka, India. I have a score of 303 (144(verbal) and 159(quant)) on the GRE and am yet to give my TOEFL I do not want to retake the GRE again.

I have been an active quizzer and debater, won a few prizes in intercollegiate quizzing and debating. I have also done a few projects on high voltage engineering, that have won prizes and my final year project is on the way. I have 89% in my 10th and 92% in PreUniversity Course.

I have also presented one paper based on my High voltage project and it had won prizes at 2 competitions. Besides this, I often spared time for volunteering activities as well. I have undergone training in 2 major companies (BSNL and MRPL) after my second year and also a minor Internship in the Gulf after my first year.

I wish to pursue an MS in Electrical Engineering (Dynamics and Control) from a US university soon after my graduation and later continue my career in research.. Given my profile, Please tell me whether or not I am eligible for admission to any US university at all… if yes, please suggest me which universities to apply to so that I stand a good chance of being accepted

You have quite a storied background! Unfortunately, I don’t know specific admissions criteria. I suggest contacting a few schools directly (try to use sources like US News and World Report to generate a list of schools) and find out their admissions criteria.

Hi
My GRE scores were the following
Verbal 161
Quantitative 160
I want to do a Ph.D in theoretical physics in one of the top US schools.
So could you tell me which are the schools that would accept these scores?

Hi bhavin , i got 296 in GRE….verbal 139 and in quant 157 (waiting for my AW)
I intend to do Masters in Chemical Engineering. Should i retake the test ?? i have 2 years working experience as Design Engineer, will that help me in my admission?
I reported my score to following 4 universities (on test day)
U Houston Downtown
Cornell U
Louisiana St U Baton Rouge
U CA Davis
is the score good enough to get admission in good universities….plzz reply

It’s difficult to say whether or not you should retake without more information. I’d recommend contacting those schools directly and ask about average scores for admission. You could also try looking on US News and World Report. If you are below average, I’d suggest a retake.

Congrats on your very good test scores! Unfortunately I don’t know the specifics of various universities. I’d recommend contacting a few programs directly and asking about their average scores, funding, etc. or seeing if you can find the information via US News and World Report

i took my GRE today.. got 309.. Verbal 146, Quants 163.. Yet to get my essays score.
My UG score is 72. I wanna pursue MS in CS.. I have a year of exp in TCS. Pls gimme ur comment on my score, and also pls suggest some good univs..

I recommend checking out the list of top schools for CS in US News and World Report via the link in the article. Their service also provides average scores for each school. Alternatively, after you make a list of schools you could reach out to each school and ask about their acceptance criteria.

hi, I have done my BE(CSE) with 8.8 GPA, 2012 pass out. I want to give GRE, but I’m not having much information about test structure, preparation and the good institutes and their accepting score. please help me with following question?
1.The best universities to do MS in computer science
2.Their accepting score
3.The average cost of tuition fees and living.
4.Preparations

Hi Bhavin,
I have got a gre score of 332(verb-164 and quant-168) My writing scores are still pendinng. I wanna pursue Ph..D from one of the top US universities. Can you please help me or propose some names of universities where I may have a decent chance. I am from IIT Roorkee and have an above 8 CGPA.

I finished with my GRE a week ago with a score of 326 (V-157, Q-169). My TOEFL score is 113. With 2 years of work experience in semiconductor industry, I want to apply for MS in fall 2013 to universities in the US. I don’t mind joining a tier 2 university, but getting aid is essential for me either in the form of RA or TA. Can you please elucidate more on what role GRE/TOEFL plays in getting financial aid?

Hi Charan – Unfortunately I don’t know the specifics of the GRE and TOEFL’s impact on aid. It’s possible that different schools will have different policies. I’d recommend contacting your target schools directly and asking about how to maximize financial aid.

I just took the GRE and got a 154 on the verbal and 150 on the quantitative. I plan on applying to Masters programs in Criminology at UMD College Park, American, George Washington, George Mason, FSU, and UF. Any luck for me?

Hi Rashmi – I’m not sure I understand your question but I’ll do my best to help! The GRE and TOEFL are different exams and most schools have different averages and requirements for each. You should contact the schools you are interested in and find out if you need to take the GRE, TOEFL, or both. You also should find out what the averages are for admissions for those schools. As for the new GRE pattern, you can read our eBook here: http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-ebook/

I have applied for:-
1> University of Florida
2> University of Connecticut
3> University of North Dakota
4> University of Texas,El Paso
What should i do….Should i retake GRE or can i get admission with this score?Also tell the university that i need to apply for MS in Computer Science
Please suggest what to do….Waiting eagerly for your reply

Hi Divyanshu – Unfortunately I don’t know the specifics for each university, however you’ve taken the first step of applying, which is great! I’d contact the schools and ask about their averages. If you are at average or above average then no need to retake, however if you are below average then you should retake.

Hi bhavin , i got 286 in GRE….verbal 132 and in quant 154…
i have an aggregate of 69.2 in my graduation . should i retake the test ??
is the score good enough to get admission in good universities….plzzzzzzzzzz reply

Hi Ranjith – Unfortunately your verbal score is a bit low. I’d recommend identifying some target schools and finding out their GRE averages for admission. After which, retake the test with a target score above the averages for Quant and Verbal.

Hi Harika – Unfortunately I don’t know the specifics for physiotherapy. I’d recommend contacting a few programs and asking about their average scores or seeing if you can find the information via US News and World Report (as stated in the article.)

I’m one of your premium member and is very contented with your way of teaching
and practice questions.
I wanted to ask you that should I subscribe for the GRADUATE SCHOOL COMPASS
on the website you have mentioned of US NEWS AND EDUCATION ??

Is it really beneficial in terms of preparation and knowing about everything for MS IN US??

Hi Abhinav – We responded to your support request but I’ll copy the response here for the benefit of other readers:

“We are not officially associated with them, but it provides the admission details for specific programs. If you have a target list of programs, you could probably do all the research yourself but this is a quick way of getting admissions information for any program. For example, you can see the average quant GRE scores for top engineering programs.

I’ve seen multiple versions of the chart that always report one of these two percentiles. What’s really bizarre is that they both have the same conversions for my score on the old gre: 710 Verbal and 740 Quantitative.

Any info you could give on this discrepancy, as well as the quality of my scores relative to my career path, would be much appreciated

Hi Josh – Great question! From the research I’ve done, the first link (http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf) has more accurate data as it was updated more recently (after 4/30/2012). I believe that ETS was targeting 150 to be about 50%, however it looks like the test is slightly easier than they expected and then the initial results showed. Currently, 150 in each section is closer to 45%.

Regarding your scores:
Your verbal score is great and your math score is decent. I suspect that you would not need to retake but the best way to find out is by contacting a few programs and asking about their average scores.

i have completed my btech in comp sc.now i am planing to do an MS in comp sc..
i am planing to give gre..can u pls clarify which is the ideal time to appear gre for fall 2013 and also spring 2013..i mean wt r th deadline for th universities in general?
pls reply soon.thanks

Happy to help! You can take the GRE anytime as your scores will be valid for 5 years. I recommend taking them as soon as you think you are ready and then making sure you leave at at least 3-4 additional months before your application deadline in case you need to take them again.

Hi,
I’m a B.Tech in CSE and am looking for a MS in USA.
My scores till date are:
Class 10: 84.625%
Class 12: 84%
B.Tech CGPA: 8.59
I’m currently employed with one of the top three Indian IT company.
I’m hoping to sit for my GRE in december 2012 and will try to join classes in USA from Jan 2014. I’m hoping for a GRE score of around 300 – 320.
Can you please guide me to which colleges I may have a chance of getting into for MS?
I want to go only for MS and not PHD. I will also need financial aid since my present financial conditions won’t allow me to study in USA without financial help.

I gave my GRE and earned 148 in Verb; 162 in Quant and 4/6 in Analytical writing. The course I want to go for is Master in Architecture in Harvard. And from what i have read and understood, architects dont have to worry much about their GRE scores, it just gets 15% weightage in the whole admission process. However harvard says the required scores for them are 600 in Verb and 750-800 in Quant. I am unsure of how to relate this to my score. Also ETS has has given me the 36% below in verb and 86% below in quant, WHat does this mean?

I got a score of 311 yestrday (150:V and 161:Q). m interested in doing a phD in chemistry preferably ohio state or notre dame…wanted to know whether 311 s a gud score fr these universities for doing a phD. my cgpa is 9.03. also wanted to know which other universities should i look for with this 311 score.
Arshad

The Quant score is quite good, but you may want to retake for the Verbal score, depending on the admissions standards of the schools you’re interested in. I’d recommend contacting them directly to ask if an improved score would increase your chances of admission.

I’m assuming you took the old version of the GRE, since your score was 1060? You should check in with the schools you’re interested in to see if you fit their admitted students’ profiles. Many technical programs do weigh the quant score more heavily, but it wouldn’t hurt to to do well on verbal and AWA as well, especially for the more competitive programs.

The quant score is quite high but the Verbal may need some work– you should take a look at the stats of the admitted students (usually listed on the schools’ websites) to see if your score is a good fit and decide whether a retake would be worth it for you.

I have applied for:-
1> University of Florida
2> University of Connecticut
3> University of North Dakota
4> University of Texas,El Paso
What should i do….Should i retake GRE or can i get admission with this score?
Please suggest what to do….Waiting eagerly for your reply

You should definitely contact the programs you’re interested in and ask them directly if an improved GRE score would improve your chances of admissions, given the rest of your application and background.

hi Bhavin,
i just took gre and have scored 151 on verbal and 156 on quant, so the total is 307. i am currently in the second year of M.Sc. biochemistry and want to pursue an MS. I would like to know if my score is good enough to get into a good university in the US or would i have to take the gre again. thanks.

I’d recommend looking in to the admissions profiles for the programs you’re interested in to see if your score falls in the ranges that they publish. If they’re just slightly higher, or you’re on the border, then I would suggest reading this post as well: http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/should-i-retake-the-gre/

I recently took GRE and got V:162 (89%) Q: 164 (90%) Writing: 5.5 (96%).
I am currently a rising senior at a liberal arts college in US, and a physics major.
I plan to apply for top engineering programs in US for master’s or maybe PhD.

I wonder if my quantitative score is not good enough to make the gre-cut-off at programs, or to obtain fellowship, RA, or TA position for funding. Do they even take GRE into consideration when it comes to funding? My thought is that GRE is just to screen people with very low scores, and GPA, essays, recommendations are weighed a lot more for funding.

That’s a tough question, and one that I think can only be answered by the admissions boards at the programs themselves– I’d recommend contacting them directly to ask them what sort of factors they weigh most heavily for “extras” such as funding.

Hey Bhavin,
I have completed a couple of practice tests by ets, manhattan,etc and have been getting on average: 165 in Quant and 160 in Verbal. I know most people say that working and improving on ones vocab is the key to improving on the Verbal section, but I was wondering with 2months left for the actual exam, if you have any tips/steps you think I should take to improve that verbal score. Cheers

Here’s our Vocabulary eBook, which includes our recommended strategy for learning and remembering vocabulary words, word lists, and resources for finding more words to learn in context: http://magoosh.com/gre/2012/gre-vocabulary-ebook. Reading from outside sources will not only help you with vocabulary, but with Reading Comprehension and AWA as well.

I hope that helps! Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.

I scored a 162 on both Verbal and Quant, with a 5 on the writing section. I’m a college senior at Duke looking at 2+2 programs for both Harvard and Stanford. Do I have a chance? Would you suggest I take the gmat too? My quant is fairly low (in my opinion) for what I am capable of… but I am running out of time since I need to apply in a little over a month.

I am aiming for the top 10 universities for electronics engg.
I got a score of 330 (164- verbal,166- quant, 4.5-awa)
I was wondering if this score is good enough, or would it be an impediment during my admissions. Should I retake the GRE?

Same thing as Varun above, I’d recommend reading this post: http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/should-i-retake-the-gre/ while keeping in mind that many technical programs do weigh the Quant score more heavily than the Verbal score, but it won’t hurt to have a good Verbal score, especially for the top-ranked, most competitive programs.

I’d recommend reading this post: http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/should-i-retake-the-gre/ while keeping in mind that many technical programs do weigh the Quant score more heavily than the Verbal score, but it won’t hurt to have a good Verbal score, especially for the top-ranked, most competitive programs.

Hi Bhavin,
I gave GRE last week and got Q:170 V:154 and 3.5 AWA.I am planning to do MS in Comp Engg.I have done B.Tech (Comp Engg) from a good university in India with 8.26 CGPA.
Do Work-Ex counts in MS programs as i have decent Work Ex also.
I want to apply for Top 15 CS Universities in US.Would my score be enough to get admit in Fall 2013?

The weight of work experience depends on what the specific programs are looking for, but in most cases, it’s considered a good supplement to the overall application. Your Quant score is great, but for the most competitive programs, it would not hurt to have a higher Verbal score– you should contact the programs directly to see if a higher Verbal score would increase your chances of admission.

If your current profile fits those of other admitted applicants for the programs you’re interested in, then you should be set– unfortunately, I’m not too familiar with the admissions criteria at the schools you listed, so it would be best to contact them directly.

Ok, got a 167 on the V, no problem here. My score on the Q was 140. Bad, very bad. My question is this… All I want to do is up the Q, so I can retake this turd of an exam as many times as necessary and not answer any of the V and get a No Score. Same for the AW This is good as a NS cannot be averaged. Then using select score I choose the exams I wish to report. Your thoughts…

I do not think the GRE allows you to pick and choose the best score for a section across multiple tests, meaning you can only send your composite score for each test. With that said, I would definitely not recommend the plan you described. Score well on the verbal again, put up with the AWA, and rock the math section :).

With ScoreSelect (new this year) you can choose the Latest Exam, Every Exam, or Any Exam to send. And with Any Exam you can pick the No Score or NS for quant and the good score for verbal. Then, for another $25 do the reverse, sending the No Score or NS for Verbal and the good score for quant. Same for the AW… It’s only money, and I have plenty of that….

BTW– I know I can’t just send a score from one section of one test. What I am suggesting is to send them two exam scores, or three if your concerned about the AW…

For the three example: One with a NS on the Q and AW… one with a NS on the V and AW… and one with a NS on the Q & V.

Of course the Q score, on the one with a NS on the V and AW, would be my best Q score…. the V score, on the one with a NS on the Q and AW, would be my best V score… and the AW score, on the one with the NS on the V and Q, would be my best AW score.

This prevents them from seeing any low scores… Again it costs $25 to send each report. I don’t know if for one $25 fee you can send three scores. If not then it costs $75. But who cares about money, with a system that is so foul I can smell it from here….

Hi Bob – Sorry for not being clearer in my first response. What I meant to say is that ETS does not allow you send in scores from specific sections for a given test. For instance if you score 150Q/168V and then score 163Q/150V, you could not choose to send in the 168V and the 163Q without the school seeing the 150Q and 150V. But it looks like you already know this

In response to your strategy, it works in theory. You could take the test as many times as you need to do well in Q and then to do well in V, and then choose to send those specific scores. However, if you are feeling good on test day, it may be worth it to just take the entire test as you may do well on both. If you are capable of getting a high Q score and a high V score, then you may be able to get them on the same day too! Though I recognize that the test is long and some students may benefit by doing each section independently.

One word of caution, schools may realize that you are trying to “game” the system, as they know an NS means you did not take that section – so your test-taking experience was not as difficult as someone who had to answer every Q and every V question. Ultimately, schools can be as subjective as they want to be in their admissions process, so be careful.

Gave my gre on 10th of July and to utter surprise i got a total score of 292(151Q/141V).
I was planning for Spring Intake but have been terribly disappointed after the result.
I had given PowerPrepII and was managing atleast 315+ in the tests.
Frankly speaking, the GRE Test Center was in turmoil state with absolutely no sound proofing involved.The noises of adjoining construction and renovation work of the floor below the test center were quite deafening and certainly affected my concentration.As the matter of the fact,i tried plugging earphones,but sadly those were of no use.
I wanted to know about the retaking policy since ETS has mentioned that there should be at least 2 months of break after the test.It would be of great help if you brief me up about the same.
I have 3.5+ years of Teaching Experience and 1 + in Industry.
Should i apply with the same score or i should retake the GRE?
Please guide,thanks in advance.

Based on the conditions you described, you should consider contacting ETS and asking them to invalidate your scores for that exam, as well as asking them about the retaking policy (the minimum gap between exams).

I recommend identifying a target program in electronics and then using US News and World Report to find the best schools for that program. After you identify the schools, you can reach out to them and ask about average scores and see how your scores compare.

I took GRE recently and got 167 in quantitative and 145 in verbal. I’m planning to do MS in electrical engineering from a good university in US. Should I retake the test? Is the score good enough to get into top 50 universities? My GPA is 8.0/10.0

Hi Bhavin
I have taken GRE recently and score 292 Q: 151 and V: 141 waiting for AWA.
I wnt to take admission in Master in Pharmacy administration. Would you please recommend any university where there are more chances for admission.

I recommend identifying a target program and then using US News and World Report to find the best schools for that program. After you identify the schools, you can reach out to them and ask about average scores and see how your scores compare.

hi Bhavin,
I have got 298 in gre. q- 161,v-137 is this score is good for taking admission in ms from computer science. please tell me about the universities in which i can apply.
please reply its urgent.

Many of the “tech” schools, especially for their CS programs, will weigh the quant scores a bit more heavily, but it would still be worth it to retake in order to do well on the Verbal as well, since those are usually very competitive programs, especially at the higher-ranked scores.

The US News and World Report I mentioned in the post is a great resource for identifying which schools are good for CS.

I got a 150 (math) 159 (verbal) and 5 AW on my GRE test (which i was mad about, i studied for 4 months and did 2 prep classes—both of which said my scores would be around 157/165)…(probably nerves)..but still…
however the scale now is saying that the 150 in math is no longer a 54% but a 43% on the percentile score.. THIS REALLY annoys. The school I’m interested in said their averages were 600 in both categories… The 150 was a 630 on the old scale. But the percentile is so far off…
I feel dumb. I haven’t done math in 10 years. I kept running out of time on the real test. Im a social science major, not math!

Yes, they may have adjusted their scales, since more students have taken the exam now since they first released the revised GRE, and now they have more data to determine the percentiles from. Math can definitely be tough for humanities majors, but we find that many of our students who haven’t done math in a while just need to review the basics a bit, and usually end up doing quite well. You’re certainly not dumb!

Your Verbal score is below average– many schools, especially for tech/science-heavy programs do tend to give more weight to the Quant score, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have a solid Verbal score, especially for more competitive programs at the higher-ranked universities.

Those scores a bit below average, so I would recommend a retake, especially if you find that you don’t fall into the average accepted student’s GRE score ranges for the specific programs you’re interested in.

I would recommend using one of our study plans to keep you on track (http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-guides-and-plans/), using the Review feature in Magoosh to identify your weak areas, and keeping an eye on the Estimated Score to see what your predicted score range is as you approach the date of your exam.

Hello Bhavin,
I just completed my 6th semester in B.tech(cse) from SRM university,India.
I will be doing my 7th semester from University of Arkansas,Little Rock(UALR) as an Exchange Student.I am planning to give GRE during October.So I wanted to ask you that whether studying as an exchange student,getting recommendations,having international exposure add to my profile and help me getting into top universities even if unfortunately i dont score high marks in GRE?
Do Universities like MIT,Stanford etc for admissions in the CS programs mainly concentrate on the quant’s score,is it like that?!

1. All of those experiences will definitely round out your application, but I would still recommend doing as well on the GRE as you can!

2. Yes, many of the “tech” schools, especially for their CS programs, will weigh the quant scores a bit more heavily, but it would still be worth it to do well on the Verbal as well, since those are very competitive programs.

Congrats on the great math score! Unfortunately I cannot suggest specific universities. I recommend identifying a target program and then using US News and World Report to find the best schools for that program. After you identify the schools, you can reach out to them and ask about average scores and see how your scores compare.

Hey Bhavin,
I took my GRE test two weeks ago and I scored:
166 on Quant,
155 on Verbal
and 3.5 on AWA.
I’m aiming for the civil engineering in UIUC. On their test requirement page, it says they do not have a minimum required score. And the page only shows average scores of applicants approved for admission in Fall 2010, namely,
Average Verbal 531 Quantitative 766 Analytical Writing 4.0
Median Verbal 540 Quantitative 780 Analytical Writing 4.0

Do you think my GRE is good enough? I have read through most of the previous comments and replies, it seems that the Quant score is the most important component for engineering grad program.

Great math score and you are right that it’s generally more important than Verbal. You are above average in Math and at average in Verbal, based on the conversion here (http://magoosh.com/gre/2012/new-gre-score-conversion/). I don’t think you need a retake. I’d recommend focusing on the rest of your application.

Thanks for sharing! Unfortunately I don’t know the specifics of the top 100 universities, though I believe your scores are bit low for top 50 programs. I’d recommend checking US News and World Report. They have a listing of the top CS universities along with average math scores. You can compare your scores to those scores and get a sense of your chances for admission.

Unfortunately I’m not sure. The best way to find out is by working with an admissions expert or by talking to current students at the program you are applying to. You can research these students’ scores and learn more about their overall profile – that way you’ll get a better sense of what the admissions criteria is.

I’ll try to help! The 161 is good but the 136 is not that good. I’d recommend making a list of schools for the programs you are interested in and asking them about their average Quant and Verbal scores – as that will help you determine if you need to retake.

Hi Kann – Congrats! 170 is a great score. For math-based programs such as Math or CS you likely have a good chance. However, the best way to find out is by contacting the schools directly or looking on US News and World Report and asking about the average Quant and Verbal scores for accepted applicants.

Hi, I just took GRE and scored a 147 on the Quantitative and a 150 on the Verbal. I am applying for the Criminology program at the University of Texas at Dallas. I asked the advisor what score I needed and he told me that most students get a 300. I know I didn’t get the exact score but I am also a alumni of the UTD. Do you feel I have a good chance of being accepted??

Hi Josh – I’ll try to help! I’d say your chances are average. Some programs actually like diversity in their student populations and give an edge to applicants from other universities. However, I don’t know UTD specifically so you might want to check how many existing students are alumni as well. It may be worth re-taking the GRE as I’m guessing with targeted studying you could improve your score at least 5 points and break the 300 mark.

Hi Bhavin,
I Meghana Have a score of 160 in Verbal, 163 in Quantitative and 3.5 in Analytical writing. I want to know if these scores make me eligible for some good university for Chemical Engineering. Can you please advise me on whether or not to write the test agaain to improve my AW scores?
Thanks a lot.

Hi – It’s difficult to say as it really depends on the individual. I’d recommend taking a mock test from ETS (search for Powerprep II and download the free test.) In general 290 is below average so more than 50% of students score above 290; 300 is average.

Hi Bhavin, I got verbal 136 ,quants 158, awa 2.5
Tenth:92%
12th:97%
I completed my btech with 79% in cs .I want to do Ms in computer science
what is better possible range of universitiy rankings I need to apply for my score in my program . Is there any chance to get any financial aid.

Unfortunately, I don’t know the typical admissions criteria or financial aid situations for various programs. I’d recommend creating a list of target schools or researching your program and the criteria using the US News and World Report.

Hi – I’ll try to help! Unfortunately, we can’t tie a number of correct answers to a score, as the GRE adapts depending on your performance. For instance, if you do well on the first section but poorly on the second section, you could still end up with a higher score than if you do poorly on the first section and well on the second section. Each question within a section is weighted the same however. My recommendation is to take some practice tests and see how you are performing, the best ones are Powerprep II from the ETS, the makers of the GRE.

I have took GRE test one day back and my scoires are 153 (v) and 162(Q). Is it a good score? I am interested in doing MS computer network in US. Can I get admit in the top 25 univ? Do I have to retake the GRE? My CGPA is 9.2 on a scale of 10. Also suggest what will be my chances in the top 50 univ for computer science? Will 153 on verbal hamper my chances of admission?

You should contact the programs you’re interested in to ask how heavily they weigh the Verbal scores as part of the overall application, and whether a higher Verbal score would increase your chance of admission.

Hi Anusha – Magoosh can definitely help. We’ve had students who have used the Premium product for as little as a week or two or as much as a year. Obviously, the benefit of Magoosh depends on how much time you can put in. You can read some stories here. I’d recommend following our daily or weekly 1 month study guide: http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-guides-and-plans/

Hi Bhavin
I secured a score of 300/340. In all my mock tests is was consistently scoring around 320. Though I am disconsolated as of now, I would like to know if this score stands a chance for me to get an admit in a decent univ:

10th: 85% (CBSE)
12th 92%
UG(Comp Science): 79% overall agg

Actively involved in sports.

GRE : 300
Verbal: 144
Quant: 156

I am not sure what to do. Could you pls throw some light here.
Even if i plan to retake the GRE, I only have the availability in Oct. Would there still be sufficient time for me to apply for 2013 fall?

Thanks for sharing! What companies/sites were you using for mock tests? A 20 point difference is quite a lot. It’s possible that this is due to test-taking anxiety, but I’d love to hear what the sources of the tests were. Without knowing the specifics of your target schools/programs, I’d still suggest a re-take. It seems like you could significantly improve your score with the right prep, and you should still have enough time to apply. You may want to look into our study guides here: http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-guides-and-plans/

I took 6 mock tests availed by Manhantten prep on purchasing a book of theirs. I consistently score above 150 in all the verbal sections , 157 being my highest and 168 in math being my highest. I am clueless as to what’s happened today when I took the exam.

However, I think I am not that great when it comes to text completion. May be I have lost out there. In retrospect, I am skeptical in giving the GRE again. I don’t have a date until Oct 9th. Also if I need to study, what further do I have to study to get the 20+ marks that I really need as of now.
I am not looking at the top 10 univ’s. However, I would still want a decent admit in computer science like university of chicago, NYU, UCS, louisiana west lafeyette etc.
Pls suggest if my academic profile stated above with my current set of GRE score would suffice to stand a chance against these univ’s.
I have 79% overall aggregate in my engineering and 2 yrs of work experience. (Motorola and Nokia siemens networks, product companies). I do have good recommendation letter and will work on a winning SOP. My main concern as of now is, I think you already know about it, “GRE”
Pls help me out with some thoughts.

Happy to help! I think a retake could work well for you. You may want to try our product here: http://gre.magoosh.com. I noticed you’ve tried the trial, and you can try the Premium version for 7 days risk-free though you will need pay – but if you want to cancel for any reason, let us know and you’ll get a refund. We also offer a score improvement guarantee (http://gre.magoosh.com/score-guarantee). And as I mentioned, I’d recomend starting with our study guides.

I’d say your chances with your current score are about average, maybe slightly below or above depending on the specific university. The best way to identify your chances at a specific university is by contacting the univ. directly and asking about average scores, work experience, etc.

Okay, thanks Bhavin for your reply. What do you suggest if I take the new GRE? I mean what material should I refer, I have to strengthen my verbal skills especially in text completion. Does Magoosh prep have mock tests in their materials? Pls do guide me through this.
I have dates available from Oct 9th. If I take it then, do you think I’ll have enough time to apply for fall 2013? Wont it be late? Sorry for askin too many question but I am just too perturbed as of now .

I have a question, I took the old GRE and got 303 so I will retake it. It looks bad for graduate school if I take the GRE more than once? because I was planning to take it two more times (one only to see how is the new format)

Happy to help! While most schools don’t explicitly state that it’s bad to take the GRE several times, I’d recommend trying to your best on your next attempt, and only retaking if you don’t hit your target score. However, in the end, if you score well – most schools will overlook the fact that you took the GRE multiple times.

I got a GRE score of 309/340 ( q-163 , v-146 ) .I want to pursue my masters in Electrical Engineering.
I have an experience in the relevant field for more than 2 years.
Also i have a good academic recorrd.
Will i able to get admission into good universities?.
Or should i retake the exam?

Hi Raj – That’s about an average or slightly below average overall score for top schools. I’d recommend contacting your target schools directly and asking them about how heavily they weight quant and verbal on the GRE. If you think you can improve on both sides (Q and V), and the schools weigh these scores heavily, I’d recommend a re-take. But it really depends on the caliber of school you are targeting.

hi…m doin btech in computer science…m planning to do MS in MIS in US…i wana know that is there ant work experience needed before applying for MIS…may i know the universities offering this course that does nt require work experience…

Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with specific programs’ requirements related to work experience. The best approach is to make a list of target schools and contact them directly – this takes time but will yield the best results.

I plan to apply to Industrial/Organizational Psychology programs, preferably Ph.d programs. My top schools include: University of Central Florida, George Mason, Texas A.M., and the University of Georgia.

All of these schools recommend a combined score of approx. 1200.

My concordance score is around 1110. I would like to see my scores above 160 each.

I have been studying since April with the princeton review and I feel like I perfromed as well as I possibly could.

My question is: What can I do to improve my scores by 8 and 11 points respectively.
Although I was prepared and was not nervous for the exam, I feel if I take it again it will be pointless because I just don’t really see how much more prep. will help me at this point.

Hi Cody – First off, thanks for sharing all these details! Secondly, while I know your target is 160+ in both sections, you really only need 155+ in both sections to get 1200, and I think that’s very do-able. Princeton has okay material, but I really would recommend following one of our study plans – our experts recommend the best material. We also offer a score increase guarantee for customers who buy Magoosh and have already taken the GRE before. You can read about it here.

In reality, 8 and 11 point increases would be tough, but 3 and 6 point increases, while also tough, are definitely do-able.

Hi Vishal – Unfortunately, I can’t suggest specific colleges for a specific score. I generally recommend that students research their target schools for programs that they are interested in. And then research the average GRE scores for accepted applicants at those programs. Based on that research, you can identify whether or not you need a retake.

I had appeared GRE in 2003 had had scored Q790, V650 and I did Masters from US and returned to India. I am now interested in pursuing a PhD from a good school. I had contacted some good universities and they said I need to retake the GRE as my scores have expired. Honestly, I never found the usefulness of preparing for GRE during my Masters course curriculum. So I don’t feel like preparing again and retaking the tests. I remember the nights mugging up Barrons Guide for an assured high Verbal score and don’t want to do that all over again.
:). Do you have some suggestion as to which Universities could select PhD candidates in Electrical Engineering without a valid GRE score ? But alternately if I plan to take the test again, how difficult would it be for a 32 year old in the revised pattern:) thanks in advance.

That sounds like quite a predicament – typically GRE scores last for 5 years at most, so I’m not surprised by the schools responses. Kudos to you for doing the research ahead of time! Unfortunately, I don’t know of any programs that accept EE Phd candidates without a valid GRE score. As for preparing, the new GRE focuses much less on obscure vocabulary and more on vocabulary in context (it’s still hard but not the vocab is not as hard as it used to be.) You could try out our study schedules (http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-guides-and-plans/). Our product (http://gre.magoosh.com) is also very good at helping students improve their scores – we’ve had students in their 40’s and 50’s, so 32 is no problem

Hi Bhavin,
I took GRE and got 313 . 155 in Verbal and 158 in Quan. Will this be enough for me get in to good Colleges in CS Major. I will 2 years of Work experience by this January .Should I retake the test.. or I can start Concentrating on other part of Applications (SOP ,Recommendations ..)
Thanks
Ravikumar

I’ll help as best I can! Your scores are about average or maybe slightly below average for top CS programs. I’d recommend making a list of 3-5 programs and researching their average scores through US News and World Report or by contacting the school directly. If you are below average, then I would recommend a retake if you want to target those schools. Alternatively, you could target lower ranked schools. If you are not below average, then focus on on the rest of your application.

Your scores and average will be out average for your program, but the best way to find out is to make a list of schools (pick 3-5 target schools), and then contact them directly. Ask about average GRE scores and overall academic performance – there’s no better source than the schools themselves. As for your visa situation, unfortunately I’m not very familiar with that and can’t help. However, there are several other sites such as happyschoolsblog.com which specifically target non-US students.

Hi Sudhanshu – Happy to help! It’s an okay score. Unfortunately, your verbal is well below average but your math is decent. Ultimately, you’ll need to identify several target schools and programs and research their average scores, so you can compare your scores to their averages.

Our records indicate that we have made multiple attempts to contact you regarding your May 2012 GRE revised General Test, but have not yet received a response. Because of a technical issue that affected your testing session, your scores have not been released at this time. It is important that we discuss your options with you by July 31, 2012.

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We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please note that if you do not contact GRE Services by July 31, 2012, all scores from your May 2012 GRE revised General Test will be reported to you and your designated institutions in early August 2012.”

My GRE Score on the day was 140 V and 166 Q..and my writing section was good..i explained very well..i’m confused what should i opt. Can you please help me on this?

Sorry for the late reply, your comment must have gotten lost in the shuffle! If you are happy with your May 2012 scores, then I would suggest emailing them to confirm that you would like to release those scores. If you would like to cancel those scores and take the exam again, you should call them to reschedule.

hi i m completed my BE in 2012 my stream is cse i have less percentage in my BE it is 52% and i completed BE in 5 year ….i did my BE one year extra ….some of my friends tell me ..u not get usa visa .because of one year back …i dream is study in ms in usa in gud university ….any one help me in this thing

Hey bhavin,i would like to ask u a small question.
I’ve taken GRE (revised ) once in the april month,iam writing the exam for the second time in august.In my first gre i submitted the list of four free schools,but now i would like to change those schools,can i change the list of those four free schools applying for while taking the exam for 2nd time ?
Thank you
*free in sense that ,ets sends our score cards to 4 schools free of cost

I recently gave my GRE 313..verbal 156 Quant 157..i know its hard to predict the outcome of the scores..but i guess you will have a better idea. I have 84% in Xth and 85% in XIIth. Btech in CSE 72%. I have been working In Accenture for the past 1.5 years in Oracle domain.I wish to apply for MS in CSE for fall 2013.So i will be having 2 years work -ex will be 2 years.I have good recommendations from my Work place and College Professors.

I wish to have Data Warehousing or Programming Languages as my primary subject as i have my work ex ,summer internships,College projects related to it.

I have been an event organizer, and head of various clubs in the college level ,with International certificates in debates(London,United Nations) and Science Exams.

Iam also and Oracle Certified Associate.

I have shorlisted a few Universities
NCSU, SUNY Buffalo, University of Arizona, USC, UC-San Diego,UFL,Univ of Louisiana

Thanks for sharing your full profile. Your selections aren’t too ambitious – in short, I think you’ll have an average or better than average chance at most of those schools. Your Quant score is a little low, but not worth retaking unless you don’t get accepted into any program. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about scholarships so I can’t help there.

hi bhavin!
Iam about to take my GRE test on 27th of this month.I’ve been takin a few mock tests for da past 10 days.the score is fluctuating between 295 and 305.can i rely on these tests,like will they actually reflect the original standard of gre.and ofcorse i felt them a bit tough….
thanks in advance!!

Hi Saketh – Great quant score, congrats! Unfortunately, I can’t provide specific guidance on universities. I’d recommend using US News and World Report to identify universities in the program that you are interested in, and then researching their average scores.

Hi, Bhavin thanks for helping all the people with their doubts.Im about to write my GRE exam later this year.Im a student of electrical and electronics in 7th semester.I wanted to know how much score do i need to get in GRE for pursuing my MS in Germany .Also is there any other good colleges.Also i wanted to know do they provide any kind of scholarships or any other kind of financial aid.
Waiting for your reply.

Thanks for the kind words! Unfortunately we’re not experts in admissions criteria for specific programs and schools. I always recommend starting with US News and World Report (as mentioned in the article above) to research top schools and average scores for specific programs. For EE, I suspect your math should be well above 160.
Each school likely has a different scholarship program, so the best way to find out is to reach out to the schools directly.

Thanks for such a great help from you guys. Actually i’m unable to make (in practise tests) good score in Verbal section. I’ll be appearing for my GRE on 10th July 2012. So do suggest me what to do with my verbal section.

It looks like you have trial access to Magoosh. I highly recommend purchasing the full version and watching the lesson videos and doing the verbal practice questions (assuming you like learning from videos.) Many customers have significantly improved their scores doing this. You’ll also find links to our GRE eBook and vocab eBook on the Resources link in the product. We also have a 2-3 month study guide focused on Verbal here.

Your admissions chance really depends on the specific program at UT Dallas that you are interested in. I recommend contacting the school directly and asking about average GRE scores. If you are below average for their program, I suggest you retake the GRE.

Hi Bhavin,
Scored 310 on the GRE with V:150 and Quants:160.
Im planning to apply for Virginia tech,TAMU,Florida tech with Naval Architecture as majors..
I would like to have your opinion on my chances of acceptance with these universities.

I think your chances are okay. You should contact those schools and ask about their average scores. I suspect you will be close to average, maybe above for math and below for verbal. Assuming you are at or above average, focus on the rest of your application rather than worrying about a retake.

Hello Sir,
I have completed my B.E. Computer Science with 88%, 10th 81%, +2 75% and have started working in a cloud computing sector. Planning to apply for fall 2013. I have shown my leadership qualities in various functions at my coll, I am an MSP(Microsoft Student Partner) and have worked for various NGO’s.. Have secured Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) and Java certified on oop, TOEFL score 110, 319 in GRE and 4.0 in AWA.. When I join I’ll be having 1 yr and 2 months of work experience.
Can you please help me find out what are the universities I am eligible for..?? Will I get MS in MIS at CMU or MIT or can i go with TAMU and University of Arizona (Eller).. How about Purude, NYU and University of Illinois Urban Campaign for MIS..?? How much will it cost me since MIS is a one and half yr program also can you please suggest me which university I might get and will I get scholarships..? or should I improve my profile..?? Thanks a ton for your valuable help..

Thanks for sharing your profile! Unfortunately, I can’t really help with your questions as we don’t provide an admissions consulting service. Here are my recommendations – reach out to CMU, MIT, and Purdue and ask about average GRE. Use that to determine whether or not you should retake the exam. Ask them to put you in touch with current students in your target program who have come from abroad. Talk with those students to learn about their profile and financial burdens.

Hi Bhavin,
I Merin I have a gre score of 147 Verbal and quants 158, total of 305. I want to know if these scores are good enough to get me into colleges like San diego state university, Univercity of california, Irvine or San Jose State University?

Unfortunately, I don’t know the specific admissions criteria for those schools. I recommend using a site like US News and World Report or contacting the schools directly to find out what their average GRE scores are. At first glance, I’d say your math may be slightly above average and your verbal slightly below, but it really does depend on the school and the program.

Unfortunately, there’s very little information about GRE scores as related to MBA programs since most students still take the GMAT. I’d suggest identifying a few schools you are interested in and asking if they have an average GRE score for admitted applicants. You may also want to consider taking the GMAT.

I have booked a date of GRE on 27th june,2012. I want to know, is there any score converter where I can put number of questions answered correctly out of 40 for verbal and quant and get new pattern score for the test?

This really depends on the source of the questions, as not all questions are created equal. I don’t know of any generic score converter however there are other options. For example, you could take the Powerprep 2 practice test and it will give you a score estimate. If you purchase Magoosh, you can answer 50 math questions and 50 verbal questions and we’ll give you a score estimate on your Dashboard. We also have complete mock tests.

Hi bhavin. Back means that i couldn’t pass the subject in the first semester. However i cleared it in second sem. I am student of NIT currently in third year with a gpa of of 8.5. Can u pls tell me if i will have any problem in doing MS due to the backlog?

Thanks for the clarification. It’s very difficult to know how the backlog will affect you. You should identify specific schools and programs you are interested in and try to speak with their admissions committees and/or current students – they are the best source of admissions information. I know of a number of students who failed a specific class and then re-took that class doing very well the 2nd time around. In those cases, some of these students were accepted into top-tier programs, but it all depends on the program and your entire application.

Dear Bhavin, I took the revised GRE today and got 170 on the verbal section, 140 on the math, and I don’t remember what I received on the writing portion. I more or less expected the 140 although I studied a great deal for it since math is not my strong suit. Currently, I am applying for the TESOL MAT program (ESL teaching) at Stony Brook. I graduated from the same school with a 3.0 GPA. Additionally, I have experience with children from interning as well as volunteering. Do you think I have an all right base to get into graduate school?

Congrats on the perfect verbal score! That’s amazing! I don’t know how heavily Stony Brook will weigh the math section of the GRE for your program. I recommend contacting them directly and asking. With your amazing Verbal score, and the English focused program, they may be okay with a below average math score. On the other hand, if they have a math minimum, you could always use Magoosh (http://gre.magoosh.com) to improve your score

Hi Bhavin,
I took the new GRE exam recently and got 310/340. Verbal – 150, Quant – 160 AWA – 3.5. I intend to do Masters in Computer Science Engg in one of the top 30 universities of the world. I am having around 3 yrs of experience and my UG overall %age is 81.
If possible, Please suggest any website which will help in getting ideas about the expectation of the colleges.

Is my GRE score sufficient to get qualified ? or do you suggest me to retake GRE ?
Also, if one attempts GRE twice, would his score be the average of two ? or the best of two?

I recommend using US News and World Report to do research on the colleges. There is a link in the article above. Regarding your score, it’s about average for the top 30 Computer Science programs, but I would only retake if you think you can significantly improve, otherwise work on the rest of your application. Lastly, each school treats GRE scores differently, so I would contact a few schools and ask how they judge multiple GRE scores.

First off, congrats on the excellent Quant score! I suspect that your Verbal score should not be a let down for these universities for EE. Most EE programs primarily care about prior experience, academics, and quant score, as long you Verbal score is “good enough (and I think yours is.) However, to be sure, I recommend reaching out to a few universities and asking about their average Verbal score of admitted applicants.

i intend to apply for Masters in computer engineering with preferences to Georgia tech , UIUC , UC Berkeley , Princeton . I appeared for the new GRE yesterday and messed it up in the verbal section and managed to get a total of 309. ( Quant – 162 , Verbal – 147 ) . i am curious about the verbal section. Though i had scanned through eleigibility criteria for some of the above mentioned universities like Georgia says ( Min GRE Quant – 155 , Verbal – 146 ) , UIUC doesn’t accept GRE scores , etc . How far would my verbal score affect in getting a call ( say from Georgia Tech) provided the fact that i am just 1 mark above the eligibility criteria. Any other consequences it could have ? Any universities which give higher preference to Verbal score than Quant score for CS programmes ?Also do you think i should take the GRE test again to improve upon my score ?

Hi Pranav – First off, thanks for researching the average scores of your target programs ahead of time! In your case, I wouldn’t worry too much about your Verbal score. You are above their eligibility criteria and typically CS programs care about Quant than Verbal. It’s very unlikely that you wouldn’t gain acceptance purely due to your Verbal score at this point. Focus you efforts on the rest of your application.

Unfortunately, I cannot provide help with specific schools and programs. However, I can help you by sharing my knowledge of the process. I’d recommend checking out US News and World Report (for the US programs in EE). You will see a ranking and some information on the GRE scores. You should then identify about 3-5 schools to reach out to and learn about their average scores. Based on that, you’ll have some general information on what is a good score.

Hi,
I got 147 in verbal and 159 in quantitative, total= 308 , still waiting for the writing.
I am applying for Hamburg university of applied sceinces in germany, on their website they require GRE of 2.5 , what does this mean? is it just the writing score that is required?

That’s a good question! Before you retake the test, I would email the university and ask about their GRE requirements. I believe that GRE of 2.5 may be a typo or a mistake. It’s best to get clarification before you retake.

I just wanted to say that the work you are doing is amazing! I am doing my school searches now and preparing for my GRE.. Came across ur website by chance. Love the work you are doing and you are one patient man my friend! Bless you for being so awesome and helpful to so many!

I gave GRE couple of days back and got scores of 166 in Quants and 144 in Verbal. I’m waiting for the AWA score.
I have a GPA of 3.6 and more than 2 years of experience. I also have reports published.
Can you give me any idea whether I can get through in Harvard or Yale.??

I am applying for masters in architecture.

Well to be honest I gave my GRE second time, after I had got 166 in Q and 142 in V with 4.5 AWA in the first instance.

Great quant score! I’m not sure how heavily Harvard or Yale weigh quant vs verbal for their Architecture program. I recommend trying to contact the school and asking if you can talk with existing students. You can then get a rough sense of the general profile of some students and see what your chances are. You could also ask the school directly what the average GRE Verbal score is for admitted applicants.

I m giving my GRE in 2 days, my queries are the same as yours, it involves harvard, work ex and report writing. I would like to know how your queries have been answered.
it will be very helpful.
thanks

I received a 152 on Verbal and a 159 on Quantitative, and was wondering if there is at least a decent chance for admission to a Top 50 or Top 100 PhD program in either Clinical or Educational Psychology. I am going to be a senior college undergraduate in the Fall, I have
a 3.55 GPA, and I am also writing an honors thesis during my senior year. If it helps, I am retaking the GRE’s in July.

Based on your scores, I’d say there’s a decent chance. But as I recommend to others, the best approach is to identify a list of specific schools (for example 3-5 schools) and researching their average GRE scores for each section. That approach will give you the best information.

The score is about average. I recommend doing the research using a site like US News and World Report to learn about average GRE scores for your PhD programs. After you do the research, only retake the GRE if your score is below average.

hi ,
wrote GRE yesterday and got 159 in quant and 140 in verbal , is this score an average one ? do i get atleast some of good universities ? do i get admission in an above avarage collage ? suggest me about some collages tht take my GRE scores (I am a computer science student).Is the score good enough to do MS in Computer Science.?? thanks in advance

It really depends on which specific schools you are interested in. I recommend doing the research using a site like US News and World Report to learn about average GRE scores for Computer Science programs. For example, your Quant score is a bit low for the top 25 schools. Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut to doing your own research

I have given my gre test test and i am not sure if it’s enough to get into the universities i wanted to.
let me tell you about what all i have to apply.

2 paper presentations+ 1 project on OFDM(communications related)
GRE score – verbal -149,math-157, Toefl-94
My CGPA-5.97/10( this is for 6 semesters and i have 2 more semesters to go)
I got 4 recommendation letters from all my ECE department professors.
Undergrad university -Bits Pilani.
course i want to do my masters in is -either in Communications or Masters in engineering management.
Universities that i am aiming for is :- arizona,USC,sony buffalo,sony stony brook,syracuse.

Kindly help me with my profile evaluation as i am planning to apply for spring 2013.Thank you.

Great work on identifying your program and target schools. Unfortunately, I don’t know the specifics for your school but you may be able to look them up on US News and World Report (from the link in the article above). Or even better, you could contact the schools directly. That’s typically the best approach at this point.

I gave my GRE today and am not quite satisfied with my score. I have managed to get a 147 in verbal and 157 in quantitative while still awaiting my scores from the essays.

I have completed my masters from the UK in September 2012 and now I am hoping for a PhD in US in cancer research.

Do you think with this score I would find a University of my choice or are my choices very limited now? I do have a paper being published soon in an international cancer research journal (has been already submitted, but not published yet).

Also, would I need to give TOEFL or do I hold an advantage of having completed a year of education in an English speaking country?

Please could you guide me to what I should do next or should I consider retaking the test?

Your profile is very unique. Your overall scores are okay, but not great. But given that you have a paper being published and that you have a masters, you may have an advantage over applicants coming directly from their bachelors. Unfortunately, I can’t help with the specifics of your case. I’d recommend identifying several programs and schools and then reaching out to them asking about your GRE scores and whether or not you need the TOEFL. Each school usually has different requirements.

First of all, thanks for sharing your program and target schools. Unfortunately, I don’t know the specifics but you may be able to look them up on US News and World Report (from the link in the article above), or you could contact the schools directly. Given that you have some experience in the field already you may not need as high a GRE score as someone coming directly out of college.

in order to get into the top ten universities, can u plz tell me wat is the minimum gre and toefl score required according to the toefl scheme for the MS program at US?
also, what is the minimum aggregate for the same??
is there any other requirement??

Unfortunate there is no general top 10. Each program has its own top 10. For instance the best Engineering programs will be different than the best History programs. Also each school’s requirements are very different. I recommend deciding which program you are interested in, and then using US News and World Report to research the top 10 for that program. You will also be able to find GRE averages, and if you can’t, I recommend reaching out to the school directly and asking about TOEFL and GRE scores.

HI Bhavin, i scored an overall of 306/340 in the revised GRE 150v-156q.
There seem to be mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the score aiding my admissions.
I have been following your thread for quite some time now and you have done an excellent job of replying to each question-no easy job at all!
Kudos to you and Magoosh!

That score is just above average. It really depends on what type of school you are targeting. I generally recommend first making a list of schools, then researching their average scores for the program you are interested in. If you score is below their averages, either re-take the GRE or make a list of schools ranked lower for that program.

Looks like you already have a good list of universities in mind, that’s a great start! Unfortunately, I can’t suggest specific universities. I recommend using sites like US News and World Report (you’ll see the link in the article above) to find a list of universities and find their admissions criteria. This is one of the best sources of information. Then I recommend contacting the schools directly and asking about your profile, as each school weights the GRE differently.

Most programs will look at Quant and Verbal independently, so rather than thinking of it as a 306 combined score, I’d think of it as a very strong math score and a less than average verbal score. Unfortunately, I cannot provide recommendations for specific schools. I always recommend using US News and World Report to find the list of top schools for the specific program that you are interested in and then reaching out to those programs directly to find out the Quant and Verbal averages.

hey Bhavin I got a score of 312/340 with quants:163 and verbal:149 which was basically a try from me to see whether things are gonaa workout but I was not satisfied with the score and wanted to retry again but people around me started to change my mind by saying it is a very good score and no need for retaking and also said that it is really difficult to even score 300 in new pattern Is it true that my score is good enough and I am juz planning to apply for moderate schools and most of the schools i want to apply are with in the limit now I wanted to know is it tough to score 310 even I know this differ for individuals on an average u tell me because most of my friends are even backing off from writing gre again because of this thing..

Your score is good but not great. Scoring above 300 means you are in the top 50%. Your score puts your a little higher than that. The best way to determine whether or not you should retake the GRE is by contacting the schools you are interested in and researching the average GRE scores for admitted students. If you are at or above average in both math and verbal then there’s no need to retake. However, if you are below average in either category, I’d suggest retaking.

I gave GRE 2 days ago and got score: 158- quant and 157- verbal. I am applying for PhD programmes in lifescience. I would like to apply to the following universities. I will be thankful to if you please give me an advice.My G.P.A for masters (from uk) is 3.

1.University of Idaho
2. uni of wisconsin madisson
3. Michigan State University

Congrats on the scores, they are pretty good. I don’t know the specifics for Life Science programs, but I’d recommend checking out US News and World Report to find out the specifics for the programs you are interested in. Since you’ve narrowed it down to 3 programs, you could also contact the Life Science programs at those schools directly and ask about admissions criteria. That’s typically the best approach.

Your scores are competitive so you have a chance. I don’t think you need to retake the GRE, instead I’d spend time researching the specifics of various top 20 programs and determining which ones are the best fit for someone with your profile. And then work on making your application, essays, etc. as strong as possible.

Hi – Unfortunately, I don’t know the specific scores needed for those programs. You’ve already taken the difficult step of identifying specific schools. I highly recommend contacting the schools directly and asking about average GRE scores for the programs you are interested in. Thanks!

Thanks for a great article.
I have a 161 in each verbal and quants and awa of 5.5.
Is the quant score alright to apply for a master’s in life sciences? 89 percentile is low according to me, but if i will still be considered with this score for the really good schools I wouldn’t retake.
So, a little help please?
Thanks!

You’re welcome! Regarding your scores, they are pretty good. But I’d recommend researching the best life science schools and learning about their averages. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about life science. Look at US News and World Report and/or contact the schools to find out what the average quant and verbal breakdown is. If you are at or above average, I recommend focusing on the rest of your application.

Just another quick question:
How much of importance is given to the GRE? I looked at a certain program from a reputed school and the quant average comes to 163 while verbal average is 155.
If I work on an overall application process, will it be good enough instead of a retake?

Each school places a different importance on the GRE. However, based on your scores and the average scores at the program, I’d recommend focusing on the remainder of your application instead of worrying about a retake.

Hi there – Your scores are about average. If you plan to retake, I highly recommend our study plans. We have several 2-3 month ones depending on your area of focus. Our product also comes with a score improvement guarantee, you can read about the details here.

Thank you for your insight! Is there anything else aside from the 1 month guided magoosh plan that you would recommend I could do to improve my chances of getting 150 with 1 month study time. I have studied for a couple weeks previously then got busy these past two weeks, and I am getting back in the swing of it again, so it is not like I have not looked at anything at all. What do you think is a reasonable time frame with about 2-3 hours a day per subject on non work days and and 1 hour per subject on work days to be able to achieve this score?

With your time frame, I think 90 days would be a better plan – that being said you could always take the GRE in 1 month and then take it again if you don’t get the improvement you are looking for. We have several 90 day plans as well. The guides that we’ve created are a compilation of the best material, so I don’t have any specific recommendations beyond the guide.

Hi Bhavin,
I’ve got a score of 154 in the verbal and 151 in the quantitative sections of the GRE revised test. My analytical writing score is 4. and my intended programme is sociology. what do you think? which universities do you think I should dare to apply?

I’d recommend checking out US News and World Report (as I mentioned in the post) because they have information on almost all programs. Based on that you can decide which programs are good for Sociology. You should then reach out to the programs to learn about their average scores and admissions process. Without knowing more specifically about Sociology, I can say that your scores are slightly above average in general, so you may have chances at Top 50 or 100 schools.

hi bhavin,
i am currently doing my 3rd year of engg(6th sem) in computer science branch
i am kind of confused when to write my gre exam!!!?? could you pls tell me when is the best time to write and i heard from some people saying that its better to write on or before december because its the deadline for applying to universities????????

I’d suggest taking the GRE as soon as you are ready. The primary reason is that you want to make sure that you have enough time to schedule a re-take in case you need to take it again. Also, once you have the GRE out of the way, you can focus on the rest of your application. Three months of prep should be enough in most cases (if you have the time and are focused.) So schedule your GRE for August. We have a few 3 month study plans here.

Hello Bhavin! I just had a quick question… I took the Revised Gre in the fall… with about 1 week of studying ( i just didn’t have the time) I received a 140 on the Math and 146 on the Verbal… not good, I know. I also received a 4.0 out of 6.0 on the Analytical writing section… my question is.. with about 1 month prep..(about 2 hours per day per section) is it feasible to achieve 150 in both of these sections? I need a 150 to get into the schools I am looking into to get into my dream program. Do you feel as though this is enough time to achieve this score? I would like to take it mid- to end June because i want to get my applications sent out and looked at asap, and programs do not look at your application at all without your gre score. For material I have magosh subscription, Barrons (which i don’t use because I don’t like it) Gre for Dummies (I have started reading and it explains things easily, I am awful at math and do not have a ridiculous vocab) I also bought the ETS book, which I found doesnt explain things as well as GRE for Dummies but i bought it for the practice questions once I re-learn things. I just want to know if my goal is feasible because I am unsure of what the scaling is like on the gre.. i know that I got a 140 on the math and i dont know if that means i need 10 more questions right to get a 150… I am sure they have their own weird way of scoring. Also… since I did decent on Analytical Writing.. do they send you best score from both times you take the test!? How does that work? Open to all feedback if you can get back to me I would greatly appreciate it!!

I’ll try to help. Getting from your old scores 140/146 to 150/150 will be a challenge for 1 month. It’s possible but it’ll be hard. I wish I had a better answer. I’d recommend followoing our A, href=”http://magoosh.com/gre/2012/1-month-gre-study-schedule/” target=”_blank”>1 month study plan.

Re: scoring, getting from 140 to 150 does not necessarily mean getting 10 more questions right – you are right that ETS, the makers of the GRE, have their own way of scoring. Also, they don’t send partial test scores, they send the entire score. However, some schools may only look at the best scores from each section – but that’s really up to the school. You could ask the school to find out how they think about scores. More generally, most programs I know don’t weight the writing section too heavily since you also have to write essays along with your application.

I’ve never heard of that happening before – a students gets a score that is not the same as the score you actually get. When ETS was giving ranges, things were a little more nebulous score-wise. Regardless, you should get your scores and essay within a few weeks.

Your math score is about average or a little above average for most top 20 EECS programs. However your verbal may be a bit low, but from my understanding that should not hinder you too much. Overall, I’d say you an average change of getting into top 20 programs and have a very good chance at getting top 50 programs – but unfortunately, I can’t provide specific recommendations.

Thanks so much for your response. I will first reach out to colleges, to understand if my work exp can compensate for my score, and then think about retaking GRE.

I had another question – I am in two minds about applying to UK universities, since I recently read that the UK government has barred international students from working in UK, post their graduate studies. Do you have any clue whether it is followed stringently, or if there is any exception to this rule? My purpose of asking you this is because I would ideally like to work abroad for a few years post my studies, so would want to apply to a country where it is allowed as well. The glitch is that very few US univ provide M.Sc Economics stand alone and many UK univ do. How should I go about selecting my univ (i.e split b/w UK and US univ), considering the above caveat? Also, how difficult/easy is it to get a job on your own abroad (Europe/US), once you have completed your PG? I know the last one is a subjective question, but still would be great to have some idea about it.

Unfortunately, I know nothing about the UK situation. With regard to the US, international students who have performed well in their program have a good chance at getting a job after graduation – it’s primarily performance based. And you should work to build your social network from day 1.

which equates to 1300/1600 on the old scale. I am applying for the Fulbright 2013 scholarship and looking to do MS Finance/MS Economics from a good US university. I have over 4 years of diverse work experience in public sector and private sector. My undergrad GPA was 3.25 and MBA CGPA was 3.85.

1)Do you think my GRE score is good enough for a degree from a good US university?
2)Is the GRE score good enough for Fulbright award?
3)Please recommend any good universities I should apply to for MS Finance / MS Economics

PS. You might be wondering why I am going for MS if I already have a MBA. The reason is that my undergrad was of 3 years and grad of 1 year therefore I have 16 years education and can ‘afford’ another degree time wise.

1. Your score is good but your Quant may be a little low for the top finance and economics programs. I’d recommend researching the average scores of the programs you are interested in.
2. Unfortunately, I don’t know much about the Fulbright’s requirements. I do know that some scholars have scored below 1400, so yours isn’t too far off, but I don’t know about the rest of their profile.
3. I recommend getting a subscription to US News and World Report. They have a full list of programs, and can provide much more information than I can

Actually I completed my UNDERGRADS and now will do a year of masters and then apply. I have some research experience which will be of lil help i guess. So my score is pretty average..right? but i can atleast work on my application!

It really depends on what schools you are targeting and your past work experience, etc. Those scores are above average but not in the top 25%. I suggest contacting the schools you are interested in and finding out what they look for in candidates. Also ask about the average GRE scores, and see how your scores compare.

I took the revised GRE today, and my unofficial scores are Q156 and V146. I am planning to apply for M.Sc Economics in US and UK (only LSE). I was expecting a much better score, at least in Verbal (never crossed below 155 in mock tests), so this score was a bit of shocker!! Now, I am completely clueless as to which universities should I apply to and if it would be viable, given the average (or perhaps below average?) scores. To give you some background about myself, I am a B.A Economics Hons from Delhi University (avg of 675), MBA, Finance from ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad (GPA of 7.6) and have 3 years of work experience in research and consulting (across firms like Datamonitor and McKinsey & Company).

Would like to take I wanted to take your guidance on a couple of points below-:
– How would you categorize these scores? average or below average? Do I stand a chance of getting through at least the average or above average colleges, if not ivy league? From what I understand, univ pay more attention to quant score as compared to verbal. for Economics.
– I have applied to MIT, LSE, UC San Deigo and New York University, for the four free ETS reports. Could you suggest if I should include any other viable universities, that might take this score?
How important is a GRE score for admission into a good university (if not ivy league)? Will – I stand a good chance of getting into at least a good college (like NYU, Brown University of Souther California etc) or should I look out for lower end colleges?

I am a bit worried about the score and if it might have a deterring impact on my admission chances, would be great if you could give some advice.

– Math is slightly above average and verbal is slightly below average overall. For Economics, I’d say both are slightly below average. You are unlikely to get admissions into top schools, but may have a chance with other schools.
– I’m not that familiar with specific Economics programs. I highly recommend referring to US News and World Report

In general, I’d recommend contacting a few schools and asking about average GRE scores and how much they weight the GRE score. You work experience is strong, so that may help. However, without knowing more, I’d suggest retaking the exam trying to break 160 in Math and 150 in Verbal.

Hi Sir
My gre scores are 147 in verbal, 160 in quant and 3.5 in awa. Can I get phd in biomedical engineering in good universities? If yes, what will be rank of those universities?
Should I try for another attempt? How can I get help from magoosh online?
Thanks in advance

Most top 20 biomedical eng. programs have an average math score of 160+ (you are at average) and average verbal score of 154+. If you are looking for a top 20, I’d suggest re-taking the exam. You can find all this information at US News and World Report.

Regarding Magoosh, we have an online GRE prep product that has hundreds of video lessons and practice questions. It has helped many students score higher. You can read their stories here.

Give me suggestion, should I target for direct Phd after B.Tech or Masters? My B.Tech percentage is 80.21% and CGPA is 8.87/10. I am gold medalist in B.Tech Biomedical Engineering from National Institute of Technology Raipur. i have 6 publications. What is the expected total cost of M.S. course in US in good universities for whole 2 years program?

Unfortunately, I don’t know the answers to those questions. Our primary focus at Magoosh is on the GRE not the admissions process. You may want to consult the schools directly or look into an admissions consultant who could help with the other details.

I got 137 in verbal , 162 in quant and 4.5 in awa, i’ve 2.5 year of work ex, 1 ieee paper and average academic background, is there any home that i can get in Purdue university or top 20 University for PhD program in Electrical and comp engineering?

You may be able to get in but I think it would be tough. Your math and verbal both seem a little low for a top 20 EE program. I’d recommend contacting Purdue and the other programs directly and asking to speak with current students so that you can learn about their backgrounds.

Your chances of getting into a really good university are slim. Unfortunately, I can’t provide you with a list, however you can research on your own by using sites like US News and World Report. Talk to students, research average scores and decide if you need to re-take the GRE, and if so, use Magoosh at http://gre.magoosh.com

But in all seriousness, there’s no substitute for doing the work yourself in looking for the right program.

They are pretty good universities, but I don’t know their specific admissions criteria. I always recommend contacting the schools directly and asking about their average scores and general admissions process. It sounds like you have already applied in which case, you should be finding out soon.

Hello Bhavin! Can this score get me into any good colleges in the USA? I’m looking to get an MS in a programming field or game development. What do you think is a good option for the gaming field as a career?

I’m a prospective student for spring 2012 for a MIS (Management Information System) program. I have scored 291 in the GRE (152 in quants and 139 in verbal ) .. I have a total 1.5 yrs of IT experience .. My academics are very good (Distinction)..I have also 1yr of teaching experience at Mumbai University as a Professor for Msc students ..What are my chances of landing up in a good university..is it way too low profile to get into a good university?

hello Bhavin
i got verbal 140 and quat 156 and waiting of awa result and i got 65 % in my b-tech so do u think i’ll get good university in usa or australia side. or should i go for one more gre try…and can u suggest me some goood university to apply. waiting for your reply

It’s usually a better approach to identify your target program and potential schools first and then assess your score. Once you make a list of programs, you can research the average scores and admissions criteria. Your verbal score is a little low and your math score is slightly above average, so in general I would recommend a re-take. But before re-taking, make a list of schools and learn about them. Unfortunately, I can’t provide specific school recommendations.

I gave my GRE on the 4th of April and obtained 160Q 157V and 4 AWA.
My engineering scores average at 55% for 6 semesters.
What are my chances of getting into the top 20 industrial Engineering colleges.

Also if a college states that its minimum AWA requirement is a 4.5 , is there hope that they will accept me with a 4 on the section?
Will AWA cut offs change as well from the old GRE to the revised GRE?
Looking forward to your response.
Thank you.
Priyanka

I’d say your chances are okay. However, the best way to determine your chances is by researching the various schools average math and verbal scores. If you are above average than you should be fine. If not, then you may want to retake the GRE.

On AWA, again the best approach is to call a school and ask. If the rest of your application is strong and you just miss the cutoff you may be okay. On the other hand, some programs may draw a hard line at 4.5, in which case you might get dinged if you’re below 4.5. I suspect that most programs will not distinguish between writing on the old GRE vs. the revised one.

I m prospective student for spring 2012 for MIS(Management Information System) program , I have scored 291 in rGRE (152 in quants and 139 in verbal ) .. I have total 1.5 yrs of IT experience .. My academics are very good (Distinction)..I have also 1yrs of teaching experience at Mumbai University as a Professor for Msc students ..What are my chances to land up in good university..is it way too low profile to get into good university ???

Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with CSE programs. Identify a few schools that you are interested in and reach out to them (each school has different requirements and acceptance criteria.) Ask about the TOEFL requirement and the average GRE scores. While this approach takes a little time, it’s the best and most accurate approach.

First of all thanks a lot for all the replies you have given above. My score on GRE was 138 in verbal and 149 in quants. I’m planning for MS in MIS. Can you please suggest? I’m disappointed with my score but I just wanted to know if I stand any chance.

Unfortunately, I don’t have specific knowledge for MS in MIS. From a quick glance at your profile, I’d say your chances are ok at top 100 universities but may be tough at top 50 or top 25. I’d recommend identifying a few universities to reach out to and find out what a typical profile is for an admitted candidate including what the average GRE scores are.

Contact a few (3-5) schools in your list and find out what the average scores are for previously admitted students. At first glance, I think you may be able to get into some schools in the 50-100 range, but it’s difficult to know without having information about their averages. Good luck!

I’d recommend contacting a few Physicians Assistants programs to research the average acceptance scores. Unfortunately, I don’t have specific experience with these programs and therefore can’t give you a specific answer. Though I’d definitely appreciate it if you could reply with what you learn about the average scores.

Hi Bhavin,
I took the revised GRE recently and got a 317 (159V 158Q).
I seek admission in top 50-60 engineering US universities such as Virginia tech or NCSU.
Do i need to retake the test to improve on my quant score?

I’d recommend researching the average scores at NCSU and Virginia Tech. At first glance, your Quant score seems like it may be below average for those schools, in which case a retake would make sense. But definitely check with the schools first.

I did my Bsc in Civil Engineering (CGPA 3.23) from BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology). I already have an MS from University of Virginia in Environmental Management and 4+ years of engineering consultancy experience in Mid-West + one year in Bangladesh (My home country). My specialization is in Urban sewer system modeling (SWMM), HEC modeling, GIS etc. I am also attending an Executive MBA program (Institute of Business Administration, Dhaka University) and intend to finish by the end of 2012. My CGPA so far is in the 3.5+ region.

I intend to start my Phd by fall 2013/ fall 2014. My interest is quite broad. I intend to do an interdisciplinary PHD in Water Resources conflict issues (Such as cross border river conflict) that’ll involve resource economics, geopolitical studies, marketing and media studies etc….(Yeah, I have not yet zeroed in…..but it is a work in progress). I am eying Tufts University’s Water Diplomacy program, Georgetown University Economics, Columbia Civil Engineering, Cornell etc. My choice of schools should be around major cities such as New York, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago etc. I’ll appreciate your observations and recommendations in this regard.

Hi there! First off, your scores are not bad. You are well above average, a combined 320 is decent. It looks like you have a lot of prior experience, which is usually a good thing. I’d suggest contacting the schools/programs you have listed and learning about average GRE scores, average years of prior work experience, etc. I’d also suggest talking with current students of those programs. That will provide you with insight on the admissions process. Use that information to assess your chances for admittance and as a way to tailor your application for each program.

Hi Bhavin, I just took the test today and the unofficial scores are 151 V and 162 Q. I am a student in Agriculture. Are these scores good enough?. I feel like my verbal score is little lower than average. Should I be too worried about it? Is it the average score?..I really appreciate the job you are doing with this site..

Hi Prem – It’s hard to say if the scores are good enough. 151 V is just above average overall, however you’ll need to contact the specific schools you want to attend to find out their averages. In general, I’d say your scores are okay, but not great. I hope that helps!

I have took GRE test one day back and my scoires are 135 (v) and 153(Q). Is it a good score? I am intrested in doing MS computer network in US. Can I get an above average college in US for the score above? Also I wanted to know if the score was good?

Hi – Your scores are a little low for MS in computer networks at a good school. I’d suggest making a list of 5 schools you’d like to attend and researching their average math and verbal scores. I hope that helps!

It’s certainly possible for you to get the same score, but there’s no guarantee. Continue studying as focusing on your weak areas. Going from a 151 to 155 could be difficult within a week, but I’m not sure how accurate Manhattan’s tests are so you may already be at a 155. On the other hand, you may be slightly lower. I’d recommend checking out our product at http://gre.magoosh.com if you’d like additional practice or tips.

Hi Bhavin,
I gave my GRE yesterday. I scored 158(Q) and 156(V) for a total of 314 which corresponds to 1290/1600 on the old GRE scale. According to you, will this score work for an average-good university?
Also, one of my friends said that if we take a retest, the average of the scores in the 1st attempt and 2nd attempt are considered. Is that true?

Your score is well above average but without knowing the specifics of the programs and schools it’s hard to say what your chances are. You should make a list of programs/universities you are interested in. Then try web searching or going to US News and World Report. If you still have trouble finding the info, go to those programs sites’ and look for contact info. Email them asking to speak with current students because you are interested in the program. Then ask the current students about the general GRE scores of their class.

Regarding the score, each program treats scores differently so there is no universal right answer as to whether a school will take the higher score or take an average.

Hi Bhavin, I secured 148(Verbal) and 153(quant) with 3.5 in AWA. My TOEFL Score is 101/120. I have 1+ years experience in FIdelity Investmenst(US MNC).
I have a set of universities in my mind which I believe are my dream Unis viz. Uni of Wisconsin-Maddisson,Georgia Tech,University of Michigan–Ann Arbor,uPenn,Uni of Iowa,Uni of Minnesota-Twin cities,North CArolina State University and not but not least my dream Carnigie Mellon.

I can not see these universities are stringent with GRE marks though reading at various forums I am afraid my GRE scores are not good enough to get into any of the universities.Please help me on this.What do you feel -Should I take GRE again? By the way Fall/spring doesnt matter for me.So is it feasable if I apply for spring 2013 and see my luck??

Hi – I’d recommend reaching out to Pace directly and finding out what the average GRE scores for accepted students are. You should also find out how heavily they weight the GRE. Without knowing anything specific about Pace, my intuition says your scores may be a little low and you may want to re-take the GRE. I hope that helps!

Hi, unfortunately it’s difficult to say how these scores will work out for you. I recommend researching the average scores for the programs and universities that you are interested in. If you are below or at average for your target schools, then I’d recommend retaking.

To start, make a list of programs/universities. Then try web searching or going to US News and World Report. If you still have trouble finding the info, go to those programs sites’ and look for contact info. Email them asking to speak with current students because you are interested in the program. Then ask the current students about the general GRE scores of their class.

hi bhavin. I have been practicing tests from princeton review. I am getting score 155 in verbal and 165 in quants. will this be an approximation for my actual score i will be getting when i take actual gre? is this score sufficient for getting admissions in engineering in top 10 schools in us? Does magoosh has any seperate verbal lessons? how much does it cost?

I scored just ok, … very well in verbal and the writing portion…but shitty in math… i hate this test. I suppose i sound bitter…. however testing me on math and labeling me as intelligent or not …..based on my SCORE,

Hey Sammy – Sorry to hear that. I know tests like the GRE can be pretty frustrating. If you don’t want to share your scores publicly, feel free to email us at support (at) magoosh (dot) com. I can give some guidance, and if you decide to retake, you may be interested in our online product. We have a score improvement guarantee, and if I do say so myself, the product is very very good

I was wondering how much consideration Engineering Universities give to the AWA section,
I checked the average scores for UT Austin and TAMU, but all i can see was the quant and verbal average scores, there was no such information for AWA.

I did call them to ask for the weight-age they give to AWA but only got an evasive answer.
What’s your point on this?

First off, great work on contacting the schools and doing research! In general, I think AWA doesn’t hold much weight. If you are above average on Verbal, have good TOEFL scores (for non-native speakers), and have well-written essays, I’d suspect that AWA will not materially affect your admissions chances regardless of score (unless it’s a 1 or 2).

I just took my GRE a few hours back. I got a score of 310/340. V:151 and Q:159. I seriously messed up. I just don’t know what to do. I think my reading comprehension took me down with it. Have i really got so low? Or is there an opportunity for me to compensate in some other way? Please provide me some advice.

Your verbal is just above 50%. It’s difficult to say how this will play out for you. I recommend researching the average scores for the programs and universities that you are interested in. If you are below or at average, then I’d recommend retaking.

To start, make a list of programs/universities. Then try web searching or going to US News and World Report. If you still have trouble finding the info, go to those programs sites’ and look for contact info. Email them asking to speak with current students because you are interested in the program. Then ask the current students about the general GRE scores of their class.

Thank you for your info. I am applying for Geography department. There are advantages and disadvantages. My course has less competition compared to the peak performances. And also, I have shortlisted 4 universities like TAMU, UCSB and UT Dallas. I am not going to high profile universities because of my GRE score. If i can compensate on AWA (still pending) and TOEFL, can that in any way contribute to my resume as a whole?

With regard to my previous post, i have received my AWL. I stand 4.5 out of 6 and i have a rank of 72%. If i can get a TOEFL score of 115-118, will that be sufficient to start concentrating on other aspects or do i have to do a retest here somewhere? :/

I took the GRE today and the estimated scores were 147 on the quantitative and 150 on the verbal. Should I re-take the exam? I am an undergraduate senior in Psychology at the University of South Alabama and I would like to apply to a graduate program. Ideally, I’d like to apply to the doctoral program at South Alabama..

Glad you’ve done the research on your program and school. Great start! Your math score is slightly below 50%, but that may not matter. Since you are already on South Alabama’s campus, try to talk with some current doctoral students to find out how they did on the GRE and to find out what matters for admissions. Good luck!

Thank you for your answer! I spoke with some friends in the graduate program, as you suggested. I was told to shoot for a 310 overall for the doctoral program (and 300 is the minimum for the masters program), and I was also told that the essays (which I don’t know my score for yet but I expect those to be high) are very important for admission.

Hello sir..
I took the new GRE on 22nd march. My score is 305 (V=142 ; Q=163), toefl yet to write.. My under grad acads is around 80%. Done 2 projects and also an internship in a start up… Still pursuing my 8th sem.
I have plans to go to US during september 13th. Can I get an above average college in US for the score above? Also I wanted to know if the score was good?
I would be if you can answer these questions..

Happy to help! The score is above average overall. But your admittance changes depend on the programs you are applying to. Reach out to a few schools and find out there average scores (or use the US News and World Report link in the article.) You’ll get a better sense from that. Thanks!

First make a list of programs/universities. Then try web searching or going to US News and World Report. If you still have trouble finding the info, go to those programs sites’ and look for contact info. Email them asking to speak with current students because you are interested in the program. Then ask the current students about the general GRE scores of their class. They will usually have a good sense.

I’m applying for an ME in adult education. I’m terrible at math, so my quantitative score of 150 was not shocking. My question is, given that my program does not have a math focus, would I be hindered greatly by my low quantitative score? My verbal was 166 and my writing was 4.5 (I was disappointed, as I am actually a very good writer). I took the test with absolutely no prep whatsoever because I found out it was required two days before I took it – I discovered the existence of the program I’m applying for three weeks before the application deadline. Other programs like it had not required GRE scores so I had not taken then test. Anyway, do you have an educated guess for me as to whether my overall application (strong SoP, glowing letters of recommendation, 3.8 career GPA, experience in the field, and strong demonstration of the required skill set) will be greatly hindered by that one low score?

Hi – I’ll try to help. A 150 score puts you around the 50th percentile, so while not great its also not that bad. Each program has different requirements, so the best approach is to call/email the program you are interested in and find out their average math score for accepted students, and also find out how heavily they weight the GRE. As an educated guess, I’d suspect that a 150 Quant score would be considered neutral. It shouldn’t hurt you if the rest of your application is strong, but it also won’t help you. I hope that helps!

Hi Bhavin,
I recently took GRE test. I did self study and unofficial score is 140 in Verbal and 154 in Quantitative.Do I need to retake the test or, are their universities in USA that accept this score for MS program in Computer Science?Thanks

Hi Sid – Unfortunately, we’re not that familiar with specific requirements for admissions. However, based on what we know, I’d say that most CS programs may want to see a higher quant score than 154. I’d recommend identifying a few schools and researching their average GRE scores for accepted applicants. There are also a number of other factors such as your academic background, work experience, etc. Each program weights these factors differently, so the best thing to do is reach out to the programs directly.

Hi, i took my GRE a couple of days back. My score is 319/340. I scored 150 in verbal in 169 in quants and I havent received my score report yet. I am aiming for UPenn. I was told that my verbal score is pretty bad. Would you advise me to take the test again?

First of all, great work on math! In your case, I’d recommend contacting the UPenn program you are applying to and asking them two things (1) what’s the average verbal score for admitted applicants and (2) to put you in touch with a current student. Then you can ask the student about the general admissions criteria, including his or her GRE score. Once you find the answers to those questions, compare your GRE score to the average. You can use this link to help your convert your score to the old scale: ttp://magoosh.com/gre/2012/new-gre-score-conversion/

If you are above average, then no need to retake. If you are at average, then you will need to evaluate the rest of your application before making a decision to re-take. And if you are below average, and the student or program says GRE seems like a big factor in admissions, then you should re-take. This will take some time but will be well worth it if you find out you don’t need to re-take.

Finished my new GRE today, got 165 quant and 154 verbal.. I also checked the score converters and percentiles. However after browsing lot of sites, I found that for graduate studies in engineering fields, universities like Ucal Berkeley, Michigan Ann arbor, U penn, Cal Tech–all these demand minimum 326 for new gre. However after checking their home pages, i find apart from michigan, the criteria is not that stiff, and i fit in it perfectly.
Yet many people around me and on the net too claim its damn tough to get in top 20( all these above are world top 20 by majority rankings) universities and 319 (my score) is not enough at all..
Caltech claims they have no such min gre criteria..
UCB says min 400 in Verbal and next line says “90% of our students have more than 90 percentile in verbal and quant”!!!.. we see that ordinary people dont get there….may be they hide their true criteria or i dnt know how it happens..nyways I am in third year of electronics engineering having few certificates of national level competitions…Quant score is ok for me..worried about Verbal…so far 71% average engg percent…

do u have any idea if this verbal (510 in old scale) is good enough for engineering graduation??? or any trusted website?? apart from michigan..i dnt find specifically mentioned high verbal score ( 530 for michigan) for engg programs…hope its true..

Lastly, if u have any friends in these top class universities, do let me know how they did it, even i can contact them..just send their emails..

This is a great question. First off, I wouldn’t trust what you see on forums. You never know why a particular student got rejected. It may due to his GRE score, work experience, prior academic performance, or something else. From my knowledge, most schools do no have such minimum criteria.

While I don’t know of anyone that I can put you in touch with, I’d recommend emailing the colleges directly indicating that you are prospective student who would like to learn more. And ask them to put you in touch with a current student. Speaking with a current student is the best way to get a sense of admissions criteria.

Hi Bhavin! I just took the GRE and my total score was 339. Is that good or bad because I’m trying to get into MIT for Geotechinal Engineering and Geomechanics? My scores are 169(V) and 170(Q). Thanks in advance!

Hi Bhavin
I appeared for the gre last week and scored a total of 316, with 154 in verbal and 162 in quant. Awa scores are still not out. I wish to pursue a masters in economics, particularly fron UK. What do you think of the scores? Will I be required to sit for the exam again? Any suggestion will be of great help.
Regards
Archita.

The scores are above average which is good. But I’d recommend checking with potential universities and finding out what the average math and verbal scores are for accepted students – because each school is different. If you are below or at average for the university you are interested then I’d suggest re-taking the exam.

Hi Gourav – Unfortunately your scores are below average. 150 is average for both math and verbal. I’d recommend coming up with a list of target schools, researching the average scores for admitted applicants and then retaking the exam if you need a higher score.

I just gave the RGRE today, an hour back
I got 161(Q) and 163(V). Still awaiting AWA scores but I hope them to be decent.
Could you let me know how my scores correlate to old GRE scores.
Right know, I am a bit in the dark as to how good or bad I have done.
Worried in particular about the quant scores.

A word of caution to those taking the GRE in Bangalore at the prometric center in Jayanagar 3rd Block – there is construction work going on in the floor above. So if you are going there the next coupla weeks, be prepared to deal with a lot of noise. It completely threw off my first two sections !

Our program, which you can access here, has video lessons that cover every topic tested on the Revised GRE. We also have hundreds of practice questions in a GRE-like interface – and each practice question also has a video explanation. It’s one of the most comprehensive sources for the Revised GRE. We’ve also done a review of the major GRE books here: http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/new-gre-book-reviews

Hi Imran – Unfortunately that score is in the bottom 25% of students in both math and verbal. I’d recommend re-taking the GRE, but first you should identify what universities you’d like to attend and research their averages so you know what your target score should be. Thanks!

I am taking a practice GRE at my school this saturday, and I was wondering what a good GRE score is roughly. My school that i want to get into does not post a range of scores they are looking for, so i was wondering what a slightly above average score looks like.

Happy to help! Scoring 150 or above (on the new scale) on each section will put you above average. You may also be interested in checking out our GRE prep product at gre.magoosh.com. The students that report back to us have increased their scores by an average of 8 points on the new GRE (about 150 point increase on the old GRE scale). Thanks!

Yes, I would primarily concentrate more on Q and AW, but not ignore V altogether. There are a number of ways to reach 1000. One of which is to raise your Q by 8 and V by 3. This post might help you convert your score (http://magoosh.com/gre/2012/new-gre-score-conversion/).

I highly recommend our GRE product at http://gre.magoosh.com. We have a 5 point score increase guarantee or your money back – though a number of students have seen 10+ point increases.

Hi,
This is Ramu from Bangalore.
I’m taking the GRE now.
Everyone is saying that you can get 240 easily in your GRE if u answer correctly or wrongly;
I’m not sure what they are talking about.
But I’m very poor in Verabal and quant.
I’ll have to pracice more about that. Can you please tell me how to get a 240 in the NEW GRE?
Thank you

hi Bhavin..i just took GRE general test today and got an official verbal 145 quantitative 160,(waiting for my AW) What are my chances of getting admitted to a master program in architecture,Toefl is 89,GPA..3.03/4..i also have more than 10yrs of practice in the field of architecture..
thanks

Hi Bhavin,
Yesterday I took the revised gre test and I got my score at the end of the exam; Verbal 140 and quantitative 149. I was wondering, are these the official score? When I took revised gre few months ago, they gave me score range instead of a final score.
thank you

Hi Anetika, prior to November 2011, ETS provided score ranges based on the old scale. Now ETS provides score estimates based on the new scale. The scores you received are an estimate (though usually accurate.) You will receive your official scores in the mail in 10-15 days. See this link for more information: http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores/get/

Hi Bhavin,
Thank you for your reply. I took revised gre twice, but my score didn’t improved. My first gre score was verbal 139 and quantitative 153, and the second gre score was verbal 140 and quantitative 149. I am looking for admission in MS computer engineering for fall 2012, and my GPA is 3.8/4. I have couple of questions,
1. I was wondering, which gre score the college will accept, first test or second test score? Or did they choose the top score of the two tests?
2. Did my GPA helps to overcome my low gre score?
Thank you in advance for your reply.

Hi Anetika,
Colleges differ on how they look at scores. Many will take the highest score from each section but to be sure its best to reach out to them and confirm. Your GPA could help for admissions but each college/university will weigh these items differently. Contacting potential schools and asking for average admittance GPA and GRE scores is usually the best way to go. Also, if you plan to take the GRE again, I’d suggest using our GRE product – we have a score improvement guarantee for those who are retaking the exam: http://gre.magoosh.com/score-guarantee. Thanks!

Hi Bhavin,
Thank you for the reply. Most of the colleges I am applying asking for GRE score of 1200, 300 above or 75 percentile score. Could you please tell me what is the 75 percentile score in new gre ? Is the gre score 292 is a very low score? To meet the deadline, I send this score to some college.
I joined for the magoosh GRE online study, and I am going to retake exam on April 24th. I am above average in studies , but I am not good in taking this standardized test. So that I am very afraid about my admission.

Hi
I got revised GRE score of V-151, Q – 142 and AW- 3.0. Do I have any chance in getting admitted to a doctoral programme in Communication? I have about 16 years of working experiene in Media Communication and Public Relations.

Hi Steve,
Unfortunately, we don’t know the typical admissions criteria for various programs. I’d recommend doing research using the US News and World Report or contacting potential schools directly. Thanks!

Hi Sachin – Unfortunately I can’t determine what schools you’ll be able to get into. I recommend researching the average scores for your specific target program for those schools (for instance English departments will have different requirements than Engineering departments.) Also, there’s a lot more to an application than GRE scores, such as work or educational experience, etc. The best way to find out is to contact the school directly. I hope that helps!

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